Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr) is a major cash crop and investment commodity in North America and elsewhere. Soybean oil is one of the most widely used edible oils, and soybeans are used worldwide both in animal feed and in human food production. Asian soy rust (ASR) in soybeans is a widespread problem in many parts of the world particularly in Brazil.
Different varieties of soybean vary in their sensitivity or tolerance to ASR. Therefore, one of the most effective control measures is planting Asian soy rust tolerant soybean varieties, and thus varietal selection is important for the management of ASR. However, currently, determining whether a soybean cultivar might have tolerance to ASR typically involves testing each cultivar in the field or greenhouse under conditions that typically produce ASR symptoms. Thus, the present invention overcomes the shortcomings in the art by providing molecular markers associated with tolerance to ASR, thereby allowing the characterization of soybean cultivars for ASR by molecular analysis rather than phenotypic analysis.